City of Fresno Selects Eddie J. Aubrey As First Director of the Office of Independent Review

11/04/2009

Joined by Mayor Ashley Swearengin and community members, City Manager Andy Souza today announced the appointment of Eddie J. Aubrey of Federal Way, Wash., who has 29 years of public service experience as a former police officer, deputy prosecuting attorney and judge, as the City of Fresno’s first director of the Office of Independent Review.

As director of the Office of Independent Review, Aubrey will work independently of the Police Department chain of command to provide City policymakers and the public with an objective, third-party analysis of internal investigations to ensure those investigations are conducted in a thorough, fair and unbiased manner.

“The role of independent reviewer requires excellent analytical skills, research ability, investigative skills, knowledge and experience in the profession of law enforcement, problem-solving, integrity, forthrightness, innovation, transparency, and effective communication,” Souza said. “Eddie Aubrey has demonstrated throughout his career that he possesses all of those essential characteristics.” Mayor Swearengin also said Aubrey’s background will put him in a “unique position” to carry out the responsibilities of the independent reviewer.

“Eddie Aubrey’s experience as a police officer, prosecutor and judge will give him a 360-degree view of the issues that the independent reviewer will be called upon to address,” Mayor Swearengin said. “Combined with his integrity, excellent communication skills and strong commitment to reaching out to the community, he will be a catalyst in ensuring that there is trust between law enforcement and Fresno residents.”

“I’m honored to be given the opportunity to make a difference in Fresno,” Aubrey said. “I’m committed to building trust, adding value and helping to strengthen policecommunity relations in the city.”

Aubrey, 50, spent five years as a police officer with the Santa Monica Police Department and nine years as a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. During that time, he conducted thousands of investigations as an officer with those departments.

During his time with the Los Angeles Police Department, Aubrey used his skills of problem solving in high-stress, high-pressure situations while conducting numerous town hall meetings with citizens following the Rodney King incident in south-central Los Angeles. Aubrey also trained new police officers in both Santa Monica and Los Angeles.

Aubrey also spent 10 years as a deputy prosecuting attorney in the King County Prosecutors Office. Most recently, he served as a judge pro tem with King County District Court in King County, Washington, and as director of public safety and risk manager at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington.

Aubrey, who will report to the City Manager, will start work on Nov. 30. He will be paid an annual salary of $107,000.

The Office of Independent Review will be located in the Dickey Youth Development Center, 1515 E. Divisadero, Fresno.

Aubrey received a juris doctorate from Seattle University School of Law and also earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), a non-profit organization that brings together individuals and agencies working to establish or improve oversight of police officers in the United States.